Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A throttle valve is arranged in an air intake pipe of an internal combustion engine. A valve is arranged in a bypass of the intake pipe. The gas pedal is mechanically coupled to the throttle valve. A setpoint value of the torque is determined in dependence on the position of the gas pedal and of torque requests defined by control functions. A setpoint value of a variable that determines the mass flow in the intake pipe is determined as a function of the setpoint value of the torque. An actual value of the variable that determines the mass flow in the intake pipe is determined as a function of the position of the gas pedal. An actuating signal for controlling the valve is determined as a function of the setpoint value and the actual value.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of controlling an internal combustion engine with an intake tract having a throttle valve in an intake pipe, and a valve arranged in a bypass of the intake pipe, wherein a gas pedal is mechanically coupled to the throttle valve, and a sensor is disposed to sense a position of the gas pedal, wherein the method comprises: determining a setpoint value of a torque at the crankshaft or an output shaft mechanically coupled to the crankshaft as a function of the position of the gas pedal and of torque requests of control functions of the internal combustion engine;   determining a setpoint value of a variable defining a mass flow in the intake pipe as a function of the setpoint value of the torque;   determining an actual value of the variable defining the mass flow in the intake pipe as a function of the position of the gas pedal; and   determining an actuating signal for controlling the valve in the bypass of the intake pipe as a function of the setpoint value of the variable defining the mass flow and the actual value of the variable defining the mass flow in the intake pipe.   
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the variable defining the mass flow in the intake pipe is a reduced sectional flow area at the throttle valve. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises determining a further reduced sectional flow area at the valve by forming a difference between the setpoint value and the actual values of the reduced sectional flow area, and determining an adaptation value if the further reduced sectional flow area fulfills a predefined condition. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the predefined condition is fulfilled if the value of the further reduced sectional flow area is smaller than a predefined minimum value for longer than a predefined time period. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 4, which further comprises initializing the adaptation value with a neutral value and incrementally changing the adaptation value if the predefined condition is fulfilled until the further reduced sectional flow area is greater than the minimum value. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises sensing a degree of opening of the throttle valve with the sensor for sensing the position of the gas pedal. 
     
     
       7. In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a crankshaft driving by the engine, an intake tract communicating with the engine, a throttle valve arranged in an intake pipe of the intake tract, and a valve arranged in a bypass of the intake pipe, wherein a gas pedal is mechanically coupled to the throttle valve, and a sensor senses a position of the gas pedal, a device for controlling the internal combustion engine, comprising: means for determining a setpoint value of a torque at one of a crankshaft and an output shaft mechanically coupled to the crankshaft as a function of a position of the gas pedal and of torque requests defined by control functions of the internal combustion engine;   means for determining a setpoint value of a variable defining a mass flow in the intake pipe as a function of the setpoint value of the torque;   means for determining an actual value of the variable defining the mass flow in the intake pipe at the throttle valve as a function of the position of the gas pedal; and   means for determining an actuating signal for controlling the valve as a function of the setpoint value and the actual value of the variable defining the mass flow in the intake pipe.   
     
     
       8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the sensor for sensing the position of the gas pedal is a sensor sensing a degree of opening of the throttle valve.